Read the opening statements from the public impeachment hearings

Rep. Adam Schiff before impeachment hearings on Capitol Hill on Nov. 13, 2019. - Copyright Drew Angerer Getty Images

By NBC News with NBC News Politics

Published on 13/11/2019 - 16:22

Two U.S. diplomats appeared before the House Intelligence Committee for the first open hearing of the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.

State Department official George Kent and Bill Taylor, who agreed to lead the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv after the abrupt ouster of Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, are the first two witnesses to testify publicly in the House impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump Wednesday.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., delivered opening remarks, followed by an opening statement by the ranking Republican on the committee, Rep. Devin Nunes of California, and then statements from the two witnesses.